Bus wheel driving unit



Aug. 16, 1932. c w M|LLER ET AL 1,872,486

BUS WHEEL DRI VING .UNIT

Filed Sept. 22. 19 30 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CLARENCE w MILLER AND By G/LbEZR'T' a. @0005.

fitwj ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1932.

BUS WHEEL DRIVING UNIT Filed Sept. 22, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Q Y T r '3 Q a t Q I i Q 332 Q L i1 [U e '9 {my a 3 *1 t v e II II x ALLY: *1 v W K 3 r' INVENTOR CLARENCE vv. MILLER AND BY GIL-BERT C. GOODS.

W9 fi i ATTORNEY c. w. MILLER ET AL 1,372,436

BUS WHEEL DRIVING UNIT Aug. 16, 1932.

Filed Sept. 22. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR W MILLER y GILBERT GOODB- fi q hnomzy C. W. MILLER ET AL BUS WHEEL DRIVING UNIT Filed Sept. 22. 1930' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT OR CLARENCE w. MILLER AND BY GILBERT c. 60001:.

A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED/STATES PATENT A oF Fica CLAEENGE'W. MILLER, or DETROIT, ANDGILBERT c. GOODE, F BIRMmeHAmMIcHr- GAN, ASSIGNORS-TO CHRYSLER CORPORATION,

TION OF DELAWARE OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA- Bus HEEL DRIVING UNIT application filed septe mb er 22, 1930. Serial No. 483,443.

' This invention relates to'an improved rear axle construction particularly. for motor buses. I j

The main objects of the inv'e'ntion'are to provide" an improved rear axle and axlehousing for individually dr v ng the wheels of a motor bus; to provide a continuous axle of this kind which has an integralupset end por-' tion forming a hub' for independently supporting a vehicle wheel; and to providea single continuous axle'havinga gear on one end which meshes with aidriving shaft so as to directly drive'a wheel on the other end of the axle. V

Further 'objects'of the invention are to provide'a rear axle and housing'the'refor of the 'single wheel driving type which are in terchangeable with respect to the right and left hand sides 'of a vehicle; toprovide an axle housing which has openings'in its respectively" opposite ends in either one of which maybe mounted, a driving shaft beariiigv and pinion, both of saiden'ds being adapt-' ed to support brake mechanism; to provide a pair of springs each being located between one'wheel of a pair ofindividiially driven wheelsand the drivingl'me nber with which each wheel is associatedpto"provide an im-f' proved brake drum for separately driven wheels of'thistype which has an inwardly extending peripheral flange for preventing the oil and grease that'escapes from the axle bearings from running onto the frictional surfaces of the brake mechanism; andto provide drain apertures in a brake drum through which oil may readily flow from the interior to the exterior of the drum without passing over the frictional brake surface thereof. Other objects of the invention are to provide a bearing for arear axle ofthis'kind which includes outer ballrace having an unrestricted inner periphery around which beveled edges are formed so as to permit the structure to be assembled with an inner ball race, and balls, or rollers, mounted on the axle and the'outer ball race mounted in the lionsing; to provide a bearing of this kind which is adapted to allow theaxle-and the inner 1 ball racethereon which rollers are "secured to move axially';'and to 'provide' a spacing sleeve for retaining 'apair of bearing members in spaced relation which rotates-withthe axle.

An illustrative embodiment of our invention'is shown in the accompanying drawings,- inwhich:' Fig; 1 is a rear end elevation of a bus chassis showing our improvedwheel driving unitsi v Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of a In the form shown, our improved wheel driving units are illustrated in conjuction with a vehicle chassis having a center beam or rib 1 on which outwardly extending lateral arms 2 are mounted.v The wheel driving units arelocated between adjacentpairs of such lateral arms and are resiliently secured thereto by springs 3 of thetype commonly used in vehicle constructioni The Wheel driving units of the-respectively opposite sides of the chassis are identical and for the purpose of description only one unit will be described in detail.

The driving unit shown in section in Figs. 2 and 4 includes an axle housing 4: which has a passage 5 extending longitudinally of the chassis. Formed in the front and rear ends of the housing 4 are openings 6 and 7 respectively, around which machined seats 8 and 9 are providedon the extremities of the housing. 'The apertures and seats of both ends ofthe housing are substantially identica'l in size and construction to each other. Formed in the intermediate portion of the housing 4 is a laterally extending passage; 10

through which an axle 11 extends. This axle has a splined end 12 located in the longitudiido 2, is journaled in a bearing which includes inner and outer ball races 17 and 16 respectively between which spaced ball cages 18, having balls 19 therein, are confined. The outer race 16 is seated in a recess 20 formed in the axle housing 4 and is secured against axial movement relative to the housing by a ring 21 which firmly holds the race 16 against ashoulder 22 on the inner side of the housing. The left end of the axle 11 is ournaled in a bearing-which includes inner and outer ball races 24 and 25 respectively between which is located a series of rollers 26. The rollers 26 are held together by rings 27 which are located on the respectively opposite'sides of the rollers and which have apertures for receiving pins 28 of the rollers. The rollers are also secured against longitudinal movement relative to the axle 11 by outwardly extending flan es 29 which are located adjacent the sides t iereof. The edges of the outer race 25 are beveled as shown in Fig. 2 so as to permit relative movement between the rollers and the outer race. This construction also allows the axle 11 to be conveniently inserted into the housing while the inner race 24 and rollers 26 are in place on the axle. Located between the bearings of the right and left ends of the axle 11 is a spacing sleeve 28 in which the intermediate portion of the axle is received. This sleeve abuts the bearings at its extremities thereby holding them in spaced relation. l

In order to prevent lubricant from freely flowing inwardly away from the bearings-of the axle l1 ,leather rings or washers '30 are provided on the sleeve 28 adjacent the inner sides of the bearings. These r ings are held in a metal support 31 and are resiliently urged against the outer periphery of the Sleeve 28 by a coil spring 32 or other suitable means. The bearing in which the left end of the axle 11 is journaled is held against out- I ward movement by a cap member 33 which is v seated on a cylindrical projection 34 of the housing and secured thereto by bolts 35 which extend through registering apertures in a flange 36 on the housing and a flange 37 On the cap .33.

' The housing 4 is secured to the spring 3 by bolts 38 which extend through a plate 39 adjacent the lower side of the spring and are threaded in bosses 40 formed on the sides of the housing. These bosses are located between the inner end of the axle 11 on which the bevel gear is mounted and the outer end of the axle which has an enlarged head or upset portion 41. Mounted on the upset end or head 41 is a road wheel 42 having spaced rims 43 on which disc members 44 are provided. The discs 44 are inclined and they converge at their inner extremities formin adjacent flanges or rings 45 which are located adjacent a peripheral flange 46 on the upset end of the axle. The rings 45 are firmly clamped upon the flange 46 by bolts 47 which extend through registering apertures in the rings and flange 46 respectively.

With the above construction the road wheel 42 is supported solely by the axle 11 which has a-driving member, namely bevel gear 13, on its inner end by means of which the wheel 42 is driven directly by the axle 11. The driving unit of the right side of the vehicle is rigidly connected with the driving unit of the left side thereof by a tie bar 48 which is secured to the inner end portions of the driving units by bolts 49. In this manner the driving units are secured against relative movement with respect to each other although they are both free to move relative to the chassis frame by reason of the springs 3 upon which the driving units are support ed, the extremities of the springs being shackled in a conventional manner to adjacent pairs of lateral arms 2 of the frame.

'Mou'nted' concentrically within the rim 43 of the road wheel 42 is a brake drum 50 which has an inclined side wall 51 and an integral ring portion or flange 52. This flange is located between the flange 46 of the upset end of the axle 11 and the ring 45 of the right hand disc 44 of the road Wheel and it also is firmly clamped on the upsetend 41 by bolts 47. 7 A brake shoe 53 having a frictional element 54 is carried by the housing and located in registration with the inner periphery of the. drum .50. This brake shoe is controlledby brake actuating mechanism which includes an air valve .55, the mechanism in general being commonly known as the VVestin'ghouse air brake. The brake actuating mechanism is carried by a support 50" which has a plate or disc 51 conforming in shape with the end of the axle housing 4 in which the opening 6 is formed. This plate is held upon theseat 8 on the rear end of the housing by bolts 53 as shown in Fig. 3. Formed 0n the inner periphery of the brake drum 50 adjacent the left end edge of the brake shoe 53, as viewed in F ig. 2, is an inwardly extending flange 56 which prevents the oil that escapes from the interior of the housing from flowing onto the friction element 54 and the surface of the drum 50 with which the latter coacts. Apertures 57 are provided in the inclinedwall 51 of the brake drum for allowing the oil to escape through the wall of the drum to the exterior thereof.

The vehicle is provided with separate .engines, not shown, by which the axles 11 are independently driven. The driving shaft of the engine for the axle of the left driving wheel, for example, has, a coupling member 5.8 on its rear end which is splined on a stem 59 of a pinion 60 as shown in Fig. 4. The stem 59 extends into. the longitudinal passage 5 of the housing through the opening 7 therein and is journaled in a bearing 61 that is carried by a bearing support 62. The inner end of the pinion 60 has a stem 60 journaled in a bearing 61 which is carried by a support 62 integrally formed with the bearing sup port 62 and located in the interior-of the housing. Formed on the bearing support 62 is a peripheral flange 63 which registers with the machined seat 9 on the end of the housing 4: and which is fastened thereon by bolts 6a. Shims 65 are provided between the seat 9 and the flange 63 for properly spacing the teeth of the pinion 60 with respect to the teeth of the bevel gear 13. The plate 51 of the brake actuating mechanism support, and

the bearing support 62 are interchangeable with respect to the front and rear ends of the axle housing and for this reason, with the above construction, axle housings of identical construction may be interchangeably used on the respectively opposite sides of the vehicle.

In some cases, it is found to be desirable to support the rear end of a vehicle or bus on two pairs of rear wheels and to drive through all of these wheels. The above vehicle wheel driving units may be readily conditioned for installation in a bus of this type by employing the structure shown in Fig. 5,

wherein the driving unit of the front road wheel of a pair of longitudinally spaced driving wheels is illustrated. In general, the structure shown in Fig. 5 is identical in construction with that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive and accordingly corresponding or identical parts are designated by the same numbers. It should be understood that the structure shown in Fig. 5 is adapted to be aligned with and connected to the driving unit shown in Fig. 4.

In this form of our invention a shaft 66 extends longitudinally of the vehicle, through the passage 5 ofv the axle housing 4 and carries a. pinion 67 which meshes with the bevel gear 18 on the axle 11. The shaft 66 is journaled at its respectively opposite ends in bearings 61 which correspond with the bearing 61 of Fig. 4: and which are carried by supports 62 also of the same construction as supports 62 of Fig. 2. Splined on the rear end of the shaft 66 is a coupling member 68 by which the shaft may be flexibly connected to the coupling member 58 of a driving unit of the type shown in Fig. 4.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has herein been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes including the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention and it is not our intention to limit its scope other than by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a vehicle having a pair of laterally spaced driving axles, a pair of axle housings, each having opposed open ends and one rotatably supporting each axle, said axle housings being interchangeable with respect to the respectively opposite sides of said vehicle, a driving unit including a drive shaft fitted in one open end, and a closure fitted in the other open end of said housing having and each having openings in its respectively opposite sides, both openingsof each housing being adapted to receive said drive shafts so as to permit housings of a single construction to be employed interchangeably on the respectively opposite sides of said vehicle, seats on the sides of each of said housings, brake mechanism having a support on one of said seats, a bearing support on the other seat, said brake mechanism support and said hearing support being interchangeable with respect to said seats, and coacting driving mem bars on said axles and shafts.

3. In a vehicle, an axle housing having side and end openings therein, an axle journaled in said side opening, a gear on the inner end of said axle, a closure for said end opening having a bearin therein and including an inwardly extending support having a bearingspaced from the bearing of said closure, and a drive shaft journaled in .said bearings having a pinion between the latter meshed with the gear of said axle.

4. In a vehicle, an axle housing having op-' posed end openings and a side opening, an axle journaled in said side opening, a gear on saidv axle, a driving unit fitted in one of said end openings including a unitary structure having spaced bearings and a drive shaft journaled therein having a pinion between said bearings meshed with said gear, and a closure fitted in the other end opening having vbrake mechanism thereon, said driving unit and closure being interchangeable with respect to the opposed end openings ofsaid housing.

CLARENCE W. MILLER. GILBERT C. GOODE. 

